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I made 2 lists this year, due to hosting a radio show. I split the lists into top 20 international and/or mainstream successful and top 15 Canadian artists with smaller profiles.
Top 20
1 - Lightning Bolt - Sonic Citadel
This album shreds. Thrash metal with some super catchy riffage. Constantly careening almost off the rails.
2 - The Comet Is Coming - Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
Brilliant assortment of jazz, punk rock, electronic and everything in between. Prolific band leader, 3 different projects running concurrently of different jazz strains. This one is my fave.
3 - Carla Dal Forno - Look Up Sharp
Really cool no wave electronics. Dispassionate and spooky vocals.
4 - Marissa Nadler and Stephen Brodsky - Droneflower
Beautiful, dark and crunchy guitar undertones added to heavenly vocals. It reminded me of Danzig's best work, (my fave is '4').
5 - The Dandy Warhols - Why You So Crazy
I've never gotten into these guys, around since the mid 90's, but this album was my first foray, and I loved it. It has a slight country/Americana vibe to about half the songs, the other half is more alt-rock, pop-rock. A few of my favourite radio friendly catchy tracks of the year on this one.
6 - The Mauskovic Dance Band - S/T
Not sure where they're from, but it's such a wild sound. Space-y electronic dance tunes that remind me of William Onyeabor, weird otherworldly synths bumbling and meandering through trippy melodies. Almost has a reggae vibe, but not quite.
7 - Peaking Lights & Lee Scratch Perry - Life of the Plants
I've never explored Lee Scratch Perry before, despite some notable guest spots (Beastie Boys from the Hello Nasty album). This collab with one of my favourite current groups (Peaking Lights) is excellent. I'm just starting into Perry's back catalog now.
8 - King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Infest the Rats' Nest
Thrash metal done right. Very tight, fast, and surprisingly interesting lyrical narratives. "There Is No Planet B" is a great sing-along chorus to shout with. They constantly change up genres that they work in on each album, and this was their first metal album for the most part, but they did a great job with it.
9 - Kirin J Callinan - Return to Center
Covers album. A few duds, but 4-5 incredible takes. Australian who genre hops around.
10 - Battles - Juice B Crypts
Wild and crazy mix of electronics and guitar theatrics. Kinda like Ratatat.
11 - Matmos - Plastic Anniversary
Samples used to create the songs were made entirely of different noises made by plastic. Interesting mix from electronic veterans.
12 - Nate Young - Vol. 1: Dilemmas of Identity, Vol. 2: Nightshade
Started as a pretty harsh kind of noise artist about 20 years ago. Has morphed into experimental electronics.
13 - Leonard Cohen - Thanks for the Dance
Working at a record shop, I've had a chance to sell this album to dozens of elderly customers and engage in some great chat about Leonard Cohen. Highly enjoyable. The record itself is posthumously produced by his son, Adam Cohen, and other musicians like Feist, Beck, etc. I was a bit skeptical of the backing players, but I think they did a really great job of providing the tunes for Cohen's words to shine. It also contains one of Cohen's classic notch-in-the-belt songs about seducing a woman, called "Night of Santiago", which remains my favourite kind of Cohen song. A few tracks delve into mortality, and the musings of one at the end of life. Cohen fans will enjoy it. Probably too low on my list!
14 - Devendra Banhart - Ma
The first single is one of my favourite tracks of the year, and I like the album overall, but hasn't blown my socks off.
15 - Kim Gordon - No Home Record
3 incredible songs, all quite diverse, stand out. The rest of the album is kinda meh. But for a woman in her 60's, going solo for the first time, she makes some very bold choices, and they mostly pay off.
16 - Moon Duo - Stars are the Light
West coast psych-rockers, this band is more electronic influenced than the other main band (Wooden Shjips).
17 - Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage - Bad Wiring
One of my favourite punk/folk kinda dudes. Always outstanding lyrical content, but the accompanying tunes here are a little on the forgettable side.
More to come later...
I made 2 lists this year, due to hosting a radio show. I split the lists into top 20 international and/or mainstream successful and top 15 Canadian artists with smaller profiles.
Top 20
1 - Lightning Bolt - Sonic Citadel
This album shreds. Thrash metal with some super catchy riffage. Constantly careening almost off the rails.
2 - The Comet Is Coming - Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
Brilliant assortment of jazz, punk rock, electronic and everything in between. Prolific band leader, 3 different projects running concurrently of different jazz strains. This one is my fave.
3 - Carla Dal Forno - Look Up Sharp
Really cool no wave electronics. Dispassionate and spooky vocals.
4 - Marissa Nadler and Stephen Brodsky - Droneflower
Beautiful, dark and crunchy guitar undertones added to heavenly vocals. It reminded me of Danzig's best work, (my fave is '4').
5 - The Dandy Warhols - Why You So Crazy
I've never gotten into these guys, around since the mid 90's, but this album was my first foray, and I loved it. It has a slight country/Americana vibe to about half the songs, the other half is more alt-rock, pop-rock. A few of my favourite radio friendly catchy tracks of the year on this one.
6 - The Mauskovic Dance Band - S/T
Not sure where they're from, but it's such a wild sound. Space-y electronic dance tunes that remind me of William Onyeabor, weird otherworldly synths bumbling and meandering through trippy melodies. Almost has a reggae vibe, but not quite.
7 - Peaking Lights & Lee Scratch Perry - Life of the Plants
I've never explored Lee Scratch Perry before, despite some notable guest spots (Beastie Boys from the Hello Nasty album). This collab with one of my favourite current groups (Peaking Lights) is excellent. I'm just starting into Perry's back catalog now.
8 - King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Infest the Rats' Nest
Thrash metal done right. Very tight, fast, and surprisingly interesting lyrical narratives. "There Is No Planet B" is a great sing-along chorus to shout with. They constantly change up genres that they work in on each album, and this was their first metal album for the most part, but they did a great job with it.
9 - Kirin J Callinan - Return to Center
Covers album. A few duds, but 4-5 incredible takes. Australian who genre hops around.
10 - Battles - Juice B Crypts
Wild and crazy mix of electronics and guitar theatrics. Kinda like Ratatat.
11 - Matmos - Plastic Anniversary
Samples used to create the songs were made entirely of different noises made by plastic. Interesting mix from electronic veterans.
12 - Nate Young - Vol. 1: Dilemmas of Identity, Vol. 2: Nightshade
Started as a pretty harsh kind of noise artist about 20 years ago. Has morphed into experimental electronics.
13 - Leonard Cohen - Thanks for the Dance
Working at a record shop, I've had a chance to sell this album to dozens of elderly customers and engage in some great chat about Leonard Cohen. Highly enjoyable. The record itself is posthumously produced by his son, Adam Cohen, and other musicians like Feist, Beck, etc. I was a bit skeptical of the backing players, but I think they did a really great job of providing the tunes for Cohen's words to shine. It also contains one of Cohen's classic notch-in-the-belt songs about seducing a woman, called "Night of Santiago", which remains my favourite kind of Cohen song. A few tracks delve into mortality, and the musings of one at the end of life. Cohen fans will enjoy it. Probably too low on my list!
14 - Devendra Banhart - Ma
The first single is one of my favourite tracks of the year, and I like the album overall, but hasn't blown my socks off.
15 - Kim Gordon - No Home Record
3 incredible songs, all quite diverse, stand out. The rest of the album is kinda meh. But for a woman in her 60's, going solo for the first time, she makes some very bold choices, and they mostly pay off.
16 - Moon Duo - Stars are the Light
West coast psych-rockers, this band is more electronic influenced than the other main band (Wooden Shjips).
17 - Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage - Bad Wiring
One of my favourite punk/folk kinda dudes. Always outstanding lyrical content, but the accompanying tunes here are a little on the forgettable side.
More to come later...
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